There's no more room for speculation. If the GOP-controlled Congress passes a bill directing approval for the Keystone XL pipeline, President Obama will veto it. Such was the announcement yesterday by White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest. There were no qualifiers, no weasel words, nothing that would indicate the president is looking for a backdoor that will allow him to approve the project and save face.

After being accused of "literally lying" about climate change by one of its own high-profile business members, excoriated for being a "corporate bill mill," and losing nearly 100 company sponsors, you might expect the rabidly anti-environmental American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to tone it down a little. Not a chance.